It's been a long time

Chapter 32

During a slow day at work, Meredith and Derek were observing Dr Nelson in the gallery. "Grey, can I speak to you for a moment?" Bailey asked as she came in. Meredith nodded confusedly and followed her into the hallway.

"What's wrong?" She asked. "Your sister has been admitted. "Which one?" Meredith asked, thinking it was one of the Shepherds. "Uh, molly I think. Your father is here as well with her." Bailey replied. "My father? Whos molly?" Meredith asked in confusion.

"Thatcher." Bailey responded with an odd expression. "He's here?" She asked. Bailey nodded. "He left when I was a kid. He's not my father and she's not my sister." Meredith said firmly before walking away.

"Shepherd?" Bailey asked. "What is it?" Derek asked nervously. "Her father is here. And apparently they don't talk. I domt know, she just stormed off." Bailey replied. Derek ran a hand through his hair. "Ah." He groaned as he quickly went to go find Meredith.

He checked every on call room before finding the one he and Meredith always slept in together. "Mer?" He asked quietly as he knocked and entered the room. His heart broke when he saw her sitting on the floor, legs up to her chest, rocking herself back and forth. He gently sat behind her and wrapped his arms around her, knowing that a sudden movement could scare her.

"Derek." She whispered, her voice wavering. "I know. Your okay." Derek replied. "Why is he here?" Meredith asked. "I don't know Mer." He said Honeslty. "Bailey said his daughter was in the hospital. His daughter." Meredith said in disbelief. Derek was suddenly over taken by a wave of anger at the man. He left his daughter to go have more daughters and actually take care of them.

"Was I not good enough for him?" She asked, her voice breaking. "Hey, don't say that. You are perfect just the way you are. And he couldn't see that." Derek said softly, yet firmly. "Then why did he leave me and have new kids?" Meredith asked. "I don't know Meredith." He replied sadly. "Tell you what, let's get through the day and when we get home I'll run you a hot bath and we order some pizza, okay?" He asked as he turned her around and tipped her chin up.

Meredith nodded slightly and smiled. "Thank you." She whispered. "It's what I'm here for." He replied as he pressed a kiss to her lips and helped her up.

They exited the on call room and stepped out. "Meredith." A voice called in utter shock. They turned around and her eyes widened. "Do you remember me? It's-it's dad." Thatcher stammered. Derek wrapped a protective arm around Meredith and scowled. "What do you want?" Meredith asked sharply.

"I- your my daughter." Thatcher offered as a lousy excuse. "No. If I was your daughter you wouldn't have left me. Go with your other daughters." Meredith said angrily as she stormed away. Derek gave one last dirty glance at thatcher and hurried after Meredith.

Meredith stormed into an exam room where Callie and Addison were cleaning up some cast trash. Meredith, wordlessly, grabbed a hammer and nudged Addison out of the way. She hit the cast so hard, shattering it into pieces, multiple times. "Meredith?" Addison asked, slightly amused.

"My. Stupid. Stupid. Father. Is. Here. With. His. New. Family." Meredith gritted out, seething with anger and hurt. Addison frowned and looked at Derek, who was watching in the door way with a shocked face. With one final swing on the hammer, she threw it on the table and ran out once again.

"Her fathers here?" Addison asked worriedly. Derek nodded. "With his daughters and wife too." He said stressed. "Ouch." She said. "I'm gonna go ask
Bailey if I can take her home."Derek said before leaving the room.

"Dr Bailey!" Derek called out as he walked over, immediately noticing that she was speaking to thatcher. "Hey- your- your the man Meredith was with." Thatcher said. "H-how do you know her?" He asked. "She's my wife." He replied. "Bailey, can I speak to you for a moment?" Derek asked quickly. "She's your wife? Can I talk to her?" Thatcher asked.

Derek struggled to keep his anger in check. "No." He replied simply. "Why? She's my daughter." Thatcher said. "You left her when she was 4. You are not her father and she is not your daughter. Dr Bailey?" Derek asked sternly.

"Can I take Meredith home? Shes...having a rough day." Derek begged. "Uh, yeah. I don't need you knocking him out." Bailey replied. "Thank you." He said in relief. "Where is she?" Bailey asked. "I domt know. She was just smashing up some casting a few minutes ago." He said with a nervous chuckle. "He really left her?" She asked. Derek nodded. "Poor kid. Go find her and take her home. I'll see you tomorrow." Bailey said.

Derek went on a search for Meredith and finally found her sitting at a nurses station, head on the counter. "Mer, let's go home." He said softly. Meredith nodded and followed him out to the car.

They got home and as promised, Derek ran a hot bath for Meredith and ordered pizza. She rested against his chest in the tub with a slice of pizza in one hand, and a bottle of tequila in the other. She never usually drank tequila anymore, but a day like this called for it. "I don't need him." Meredith said, slightly tipsy. "No, you don't. I love you." Derek said softly. "I love you too." She replied.

Hey guys!! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!! Feel free to drop ideas if you have any!!